Milton Keynes to Nottingham

My week stop over in Milton Keynes had a couple of highlights.  Firstly watching three young Kestrels fledge succesfully from their nest and make their way in the world less than a mile from the city centre. 

And secondly a flying visit from my brother who popped in last weekend.  Always good to catch up with family.  Enjoying an evening watching the kestrels.

After Dave left I continued my journey northward. The first days took me through familiar waters via Stoke Bruerne and Buckby then onto the Leicester arm of the GU.  Shortly after joining the Leicester arm the canal climbs the 7 lock Watford flight as it shares the famous Watford Gap with a Roman road (A5) the M1and the west coast mainline - all of which make use of the gap in the surrounding hills.

After a 17 mile meander along the summit pound the canal reaches the stunning Foxton flight of 10 locks made top of 2 staircases of 5.  Sitting in the top lock you do feel you are on top of the world.

Once down the flight, courtesy of a team of volunteer lock keepers, the canal heads toward Leicester through a series of 24 barley maintained locks.  This is not one of my favourite canals as the locks are hard work and reaching Leicester is not really a highlight as there are only a few safe mooring spots as the city sadly has a bad reputation of boats being broken into for petty theft.

After a night on the secure moorings I made an early start to get out and back into the countryside.  Once clear of the city the canal joins the river Soar as it meanders through open countryside to Loughborough and eventually joins the river Trent a few miles west of Nottingham.  Above Loughborough is evidence of the restoration following the post-war decline of the inland waterways as road and rail killed the canal haulage business.  Here a new lock was built to replace the old derelict one.

I'm now moored up in Nottingham once again where I'll replenish supplies before moving on again tomorrow.  Another couple of days should get me to Newark where I'll stop for a day or two before moving onto the tidal Trent for the long run up to Keadby and the South Yorkshire navigations. From there I will make my way, via the Aire and Calder Navigation, to join the Leeds Liverpool canal.